Combination cigarette container, igniter, and ejector



Nov. 18, 1930. ERNER 1,782,081

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, IGNITER, AND EJECTOR Eiled May 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA IIIIIL All/If 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III! 1/! III INVENTOR.

Y 35 zo im A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 18, 1930 PATENT oFncE VERNON S. WERNER, F MORRIS, ILLINOIS Application filed May This invention relates to improvements in combined cigarette containers and ash receivers and more particularly to a smokers article, of this type, which is especially adapt-' 5 ed for installation upon the steering column or other convenient part of an automobile, the general object of the invention being to provide a device which will hold a supply of cigarettes and which may be conveniently manipulated by the driver of the automobile to light and deliver a cigarette thus enabling the driver to obtain a lighted cigarette without the necessity of slackening the speed of travel of the automobile or removing both hands from the steering wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined cigarette container and ash receptacle embodying novel means whereby a cigarette may be automatically transferred from a compartment in which a number of cigarettes. are stored,.into a. chamber at one end of the compartment, the cigarette ignited at its lower end, and the lighted cigarette ejected in position where it may be. readily grasped and removed by the user of the device, the invention contemplating the provision of means for automatically restoring the parts to normal position after a cigarette has been lighted and ejected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined cigarette container and ash receiver in which the storage compartment for the cigarettes may be readily filled, and the ash tray readily removed and the accumulated ashes discharged therefrom, so that there is no necessity for dismounting the device for these purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the class described, a novel combination and arrangement of parts by the simple manipulation of one of which a cigarette will be displaced from the storage compartment of the device, ignited, at one end, and delivered in position for removalfrom the device, so that the successive adjustment of various actuating or controlling parts is rendered unnecessary and the delivery of a lighted cigarette from the device is efiected in the simplest manner and with the consumption'of time and labor.

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, IGNITER, AND HECTOR 1928. Serial m5. 231,234.

Another object of the invention is to so construct andarrange the ash receiver of the device that the ashes from a cigarette may be delivered thereinto and efl'ectually trapped, so that there will be no likelihood of sparks or ashes being blown about within the automobile.

While the accompanying drawings and the description which is to follow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that Various changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the device embodying the invention, the parts'being illustrated in the positions which they will normally assume.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2of Figure 1 looking in the. direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the device, the parts being in the positions which they will normally assume, and parts being shown in section.

Figure 5 is a vertical front to rear sectional View taken substantiall on the line 55 of Figure 3 looking in the irection indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a vertical front to rear sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of a Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 8'is a detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 1 looking'in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 9 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The device embodies, in its structure, a. storage compartment for the cigarettes whi ch compartment is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and may, like other parts of the device, as will presentl be described, be formed from sheet meta and this compartment comprises a front wall 2, a rear wall 3, end walls 4 and 5, a bottom wall 6, and a removable closure 7, the storage compartment being of oblong rectangular form and interiorl of a width to accommodate a number of cigarettes arran in upright position upon the bottom wa 6 and in a row in contact with one another as clearly shown in Figure 2' of the drawings. In order that the storage compartment and, in fact, the device as a whole, may be readily mounted upon the steering column of an automobile or any other convenient part of the automobile, a bracket lug 8 is provided upon the under side of the compartment 1 preferably intermediate the ends thereof, and a standard 9 is engaged at its upper end in a clamping collar 10 the shank of which, indicated by the numeral 11, is fitted through an opening in the lug 8, a nut 12 being threaded onto the end of theshank and tightened to bind the clamp in place. At this point it will be evident that y loosening the hat, the compartment 1 may be angularly adjusted with respect to the standard. I

As illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings, the lower end of the standard 9 is disposed between the corresponding ends of the members 13 of a resilient clamp and secured by a transverse bolt 14 which is fitted through these end portions and diametrically through the said end of the standard. The clamping members 13 are of the arcuate or bowed form shown in Figure 6 of the drawings and the clamp is designed to be disposed-about the steering column of an automobile and closed and tightened by means of a clamping bolt 15 which is fitted through the other ends of the members 13 of the clamp. In this manner the device may be mounted upon the steering column directly below the steering wheel and therefore within convenient reach of the driver of the automobile.

As illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 8 of the drawings, the rear wall 2 of thecigarette storage compartment is shaped, at its juncture with the end wall 5 of saidcompartment, to provide an approximately cylindrical receiving chamber 16 which is open at its forward side as at 17 and therefore in communication with the corresponding end of the said compartment 1, the front wall 2 of said compartment, at the corresponding end, being formed with a vertically extending slot 18 located directly opposite the open side 17 of the chamber 16. The compartment 1 is provided, at the lower end of the chamber 16, with a downwardly projecting hollow cylindrical extension 19 in which is slidably fitted the upper end'of a tube 21 of insulating material, and this tube constitutes a part of the igniting and ejecting means of the device.

The igniting device comprises a steni 22 which is preferably of conducting metal and which is arranged axially within the tube 21, a disk like head 23 being provided at the u per end of the stem and seated at its perip cry in a rabbet 24 formed in the upper end of the said tube 21, the head being formed upon its upper side with an upstanding frustoconical core 25 about which is wound a coil 26 0f resistance wire, the resistance wire being placed in communication, at one end of the coil, with the rod 22 and at the other end of the coil with a conductor wire 27 which is led downwardly through the tube 21 and outwardly through an opening in one side of the from one side of a collar 30 c amped upon the lower end of the tube 21 and is connected at its lower end to the correspondin side of the said head 28. a The head 28 embodies a contact disk 31 to which is connected the other conductor wire 32 of the cable 33 of which the said wire 32 and the previously mentioned wire 27 form parts. The lower end of the rod 22 is anchored in the lower end of the tube 21 and opposes the contact disk 31 of the head 28, the said disk being normally held spaced from the said lower end of the rod 22, however, through the resiliency of the connecting portion 29. i

The numeral 34 indicates an arm which extends from the collar 30 and is connected at its outer end as at 35 to a rod 36 which is slidably mounted in guides 37 upon the rear wall 3 of the compartment 1, a compression spring 38 being fitted upon the said rod 36 and'bearing at its lower end against the connection 35 between said rod and the arm 34, and at its upper end against the guides 37. In this which is provided at the upper end of the.

said rod-36 and which, in addition to its lower I end ortion, which is indicated by the numera l 40, includes a vertically extending portion 41 which is parallel to an extension of the rod 36, the upper end of this extension of the said rod and the upper end of the portion 41 of the head 39 being connected by an inclined portion 42 which serves a purpose to be presently explained.

As previously stated the invention contemplates the delivery of a cigarette from the storage compartment 1 into the receiving chamber 16, and the means for accomplishing this result comprises a cylindrical displacing member 43 which is of substantially the same diameter and length as the ordinary cigarette and which is supported by an arm 44.which extends from one side of the member, laterally on an arc as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, and is pivotally mounted upon a pin supported in bearing ears .46 provided upon the front wall 2 of the storage compartment 1, the member 43 bein supported directly opposite the slot 18 1n the said front wall of the storage compartment 1. A rectangular yoke 47 extends from the other side of the pin 45 and carries-an eye 48 through which the portions 41 and 42 of the head 39 are designed to work under conditions to be presently explained.

As will be observed by reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the spring 38 normally holds the rod 36 in a lowered position where the bottom member 40 of the frame like head 39 rests upon the guides 37 and in which position the tube 21 is fully lowered so that the igniting means at the upper-end of the rod 22 is spaced slightly below the plane I of the bottom 6 of the storage compartment,

the slot 18 and as its side which is presented .toward the said slot, located substantially in the vertical plane of the front wall 2 of the cigarette storage compartment 1. Means, which will presently be fully described, is provided for urging the row of cigarettes, within the compartment 1, longitudinally of said compartment and therefore, when there are any cigarettes in the compartment, one of the cigarettes will occupy a position within that end of the storage compartment at which the end wall 5 is located and between the open side 17 of the receiving chamber 16 and the said slot 18, and it will be understood that when upward pressure is exerted against the head 28, the contact disk 31 thereof will be brought into contact with the lower end of the rod 22 and the circuit will be closed through the resistance 26 resulting in a heating of the resistance to a red heat. Continued upward pressure against the head 28 will result in an upward sliding movement of the sleeve 21 and also an upward movement of the rod 36 with the result that the energized resistance 26 will be brought into contact with the lower end of the clgarette which is within the chamber 16 thus igniting this end of the cigarette. It will be understood of course that, upon upward movement of the rod 36, the portion 42 of the head 39 thereof will ride through the eye 48 rocking the arm 44 and swinging the displacin member 43 through the slot 18 and efi'ectmg displace ment of the cigarette which is in this end of the storage compartment, from said compartment and into the chamber 16, such transfer of the cigarette being of course effected immediately prior to the moment the upper end of the igniting means, comprising the resistance coil 26, has reached the level of the bottom 6 of the cigarette storage compartment.

In order that the cigarettes within the cigarette storage compartment 1 may be fed longitudinally in said compartment and a cigarette thus, at all times, be presented in position to be shifted by the dlsplacingmember 43 from the storage compartment into the chamber 16, and likewise in order that the actuating means for the member 43 may be housed and concealed from view, means is provided which will now be described.

The means referred to above comprises a sheet metal shield 49 which is of a height equal to the height of the cigarette storage compartment 1' andwhich comprises a substantially semi-cylindrical body portion 50 one side of which has a flat extension 51 provided at its end with an approximately semicylindrical sleeve portion 52 which is disposed to embrace the outer side of the chamber 16, this sleeve portion 52 having a laterally projecting flange 53 at one side to bear against the outer side of the rear wall 3 of the compartment 1. The sleeve portion 52, at its juncture with the flat extension 51 of the wall 50, is formed with a vertically extending head 54 which seats in a groove 55 formed at the juncture of the wall of the chamber 16 with the end wall 5 of the storage compartment 1 and this tends to prevent any rotative displacement of the sleeve 52 with respect to the wall of the said chamber 16. It will be observed by reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings that the shield 49 is positioned upright in front of the front wall 2 of the storage compartment 1, and in order that the side of the semi-cylindrical wall 50 of the shield may be held against displacement with respect to the said compartment 1, hook lugs 56 are provided u on the said wall 2 one near.

the upper edge 0 said wall and one near the lower edge thereof, and the said wall 50 of the shield is provided at its side opposite its side at which the extension 51 is located, with a straight extension 57 which is curved laterally inwardly as indicated by the numeral 58 so as to engage at its vertical edge with the said hook lugs 56, the shield 49, as a whole, being preferably made of resilient sheet metal and therefore adapted, through the medium of the connections above described, to be readily fitted to and removed from the storage compartment 1.

As will be evident by reference to the drawings, the shield 49 constitutes means for housing the member 43 and the actuating means therefor, and it also serves to support a tubular spring housing 59 which is mountbetween its upper and lower ends and housing 59 and is connected at one end as at.

62 to the extension 57 of the wall of the shield 49, the spring being led through the said housing 59 and through the other end thereof and longitudinally within the guide 60. The guide 60 is formed in its upper side with a longitudinally extending slot 63 and.

a combined lug and finger piece 64, which is carried by the rear side of a follower 65, is provided with a depending stud 66 to which the other end of the said spring is connected; The finger piece 64 has a short shank portion 67 which works in a slot formed in the rear wall 3 above and parallel to the guide 60 and this shank is connected to the rear side of the follower which is preferably in the form of a body, rectangular in cross section and of dimensions to fit slidably within the storage compartment 1, the follower being disposed in upright position within said compartment as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 7' .of the drawings.

From the foregoing description of this portion of the invention, it will be evident that thespring 61 constitutes means urging the follower 65 longitudinally in the storage compartment 1 in the direction of the end Wall 5 thereof and it will also be understood that when it is desired to fill the said compartment with cigarettes, the'cover 7 is removed and the finger piece 64 is grasped and slid longitudinally in the direction of the end wall 4 of the compartment until the follower has substantially reached a position resting against said wall, whereupon a row of cigarettes may be arranged in upright position within the compartment and extending in a series from the follower 65 to the end wall 5 of the said storage compartment.

. When the finger piece 64 is released, the

spring 61, which has been placed under tension in the preceding'operation, will exert a pull upon the finger piece 64, and as this finger piece is preferably located substantially midway between the upper and lower ends of the follower 65, the follower will be drawn or yieldabl urgedin the direction of the end wall 5 of t e storage compartment 1 and, engaging the corresponding end one of the series of cigarettes, will tend to shift the entire series in the direction of the end wall 5 of the compartment. Of course, as

the cigarettes are successively dislodged from is indicated in general by the numeral 68 and which comprises a substantially semi-cylindrical body including a flat vertical rear wall 69 and a substantially semi-cylindrical front wall 70, the receiver being further provided with a bottom which is indicated by the numeral 71. The receiver 68 is disposed within the circumference of the wall 50 of the shield 49 to fit snugly therein as clearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5 of the drawlngs and is preferably supported in position by an overturned tongue 72 provided at the upper edge of the wall midway between the opposite vertical edges thereof, and at this point a closure 73 is mounted upon the said wall 70 by means of a spring hinge 74 and this closure is of the semi-circular form shown in Figure 3and normally assumes the elevated and closed position shown in full lines in Figure 5, through the medium of the spring hmge 74. The spring hinge is of a light natureand therefore the closure 73 is capable of being readily depressed to a partly open position as shown in broken lines in Figure 5. Therefore the smoker may readil dispose of the ashes on the cigarette which he is smoking by engaging the lighted end of the cigarette against the closure 73 and exerting a slight downward pressure upon saidclosure, the ashes sliding over the surface of the closure and into the receiver 68.

It will be'understood of course that current may be supplied to the device, through the cable 33 from the battery of the automobile or from any independent source.

A clip 75 is provided upon the rear side of the portion 52 of the shield 49 and consti= tutes means whereby the lighted cigarette may be temporarily supported upon the device.

In order to prevent the accumulation of ashes and tobacco crumbs in the cylindrical extension 19, the tube 21 is formed in its outer side with a vertically extending channe(li 76 leading downwardly from its upper en Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: i

1. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a longitudinal cigarette storage compartment to accommodate a row of cigarettes to be dispensed, a follower movable longitudinally in said compartment and engageable with one end of a row of cigarettes arrangedtherein, means yieldably urging the follower toeffect movement of the cigarettes toward one end of the compartment upon displacement of the respective endmost cigarette of the row from the row, a receiving chamber in communication at one side with the last mentioned end of the compartment, a displacing member operable to effect transfer of a ciga-- actuated through movement of the ejectorand operable upon initial movement of the ejector for eifectin swinging movement of the displacing mem er.

2. In a cigarette container, igniter, and dispenser, a cigarette storage compartment, a receiving chamber in communication at one side with said compartment, a displacing member operable to effect transfer of a ciga rette from the storage compartment into the receiving chamber, an ejector member movable in the receiving chamber to eject therefrom a cigarette transferred thereto from the storage chamber, an electric igniting unit carried by the engaging end of the ejecting member, manually engageable means carried by the ejector for closing .the circuit through said electric igniting unit and for actuating said ejector, and operative connection between the ejector and the displacing member for effecting actuation of the displacing member upon the initial movement of the ejector.

3. In a cigarette container, igniter, and dispenser, a cigarette storage compartment, a receiving chamber in communication at one side with said compartment, a displacing member operable to efiect transfer of a cigarette from the storage vcompartment into the receiving chamber, an ejector member movable in the receiving chamber to eject there from a cigarette transferred thereto from the storage chamber, an electric igniting unit carried by the engaging end of the ejecting member, manually engageable means carried by the ejector for closing the circuit through said electric igniting unit and for actuating said ejector, operative connection between the ejector and the displacing member for effecting actuation of the displacing member upon the initial movement of the ejector, and means yieldably holding the ejector in inactive position.

4. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a cigarette storage compartment, a receiving chamber in communication at one side with said compartment, a shield having a portion fitting said chamber and another portion fitting the opposite wall of the compartment, and means for displacing a cigarette from the compartment into the receiving chamber, the said means being housed by the said shield therein.

'5. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a cigarette storage compartment of elongated form to contain a row of cigarettes, one wall of the compartment having a longitudinal slot, a follower within the compartment movable longitudinally therein to coact with a row of cigarettes arranged within the compartment, a slotted tubular guide upon the said wall of the compartment adjacent said slot, a lug having a shank connected with the follower and extending through the slot in the wall of the compartment, a stud extending from the lug and through the slot in the guide and in the said guide, a spring housed within the guide and connected to the stud and constituting means yieldably urging the follower longitudinally in the compartment, a receiving chamber in communication at one side of the said compartment, a, displacing. member operable to effect transfer of a cigarette from the storage compartment into the receiving chamber, an ejecting member movable in the receiving chamber to eject therefrom a cigarette transferred thereto from the storage chamber, and means operable to suecessively actuate the dispensing and ejecting members, and means for ejecting a cigarette from the receiving chamber.

6. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a

vcigarette storage compartment, means for continuously urging the cigarettes in the compartment toward one end thereof, a receiving chamber incommunication with the mentioned end of the compartment, a swinging displacing member operative to effect transfer of a'cigarette from the storage compartment to the receiving chamber, an ejector member movable in the receiving member to eject therefrom a cigarette transferred thereto from the storage chamber, thesaid ejecting member being manually operable, and means actuated through movement of the ejector and operable upon initial movement of the ejector for effecting swinging movement of the displacing member.

7. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a cigarette storage compartment, means for continuously urging the cigarette toward one end thereof, a receiving chamber in communication with the mentioned end of the compartment, a swinging displacing member operable to effect transfer of a cigarette from the storage compartment to the receiving chamber, a manually operable ejecting member movable in the receiving chamber to eject therefrom a cigarette transferred thereto from the storage chamber, means actuated through movement of the e'eotor and operable upon initial movement 0 the ejector for effecting swinging movement of the displacing member, and an electric igniting member carried by the inner end of the ejecting member, and means operable upon initial movement of the ejecting member for closing a circuit through the igniting member.

8. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a cigarette storage compartment, means for continuously urging the cigarette toward one end thereof, a receiving chamber in communication with the mentioned end of the compartment, a swinging displacing member operable to effect transfer of a cigarette from the storage compartment to the receiving chamber, a manually operable ejecting member movable in the receiving chamber to eject therefrom a cigarette transferred thereto from the storage compartment, means actuated through movement of the ejector and operable upon initial movement of the ejector for effecting swinging move ment of the displacing member, an electric igniting member carried by the inner end of the ejecting member and including a central contact extending longitudinally through and depending from the lower end of the ejecting member, a contact resiliently supported by the ejecting member and connected with the other terminal of the igniting device and depending from the ejecting member in spaced parallel relation to the central contact, said second contact constituting a thumb piece, whereby upon upward pressure thereon the contact will be closed through the igniting member and the ejecting member actuated.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

VERNON S. WERNER. 

